Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Avenger's Choice	By : Shakirah Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1022 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Avenger�s Choice

Pairing:� SasuNaruSasu with other side pairings mostly
implied.�

Genre:� Drama and angst with romance all mixed into
a big pot.�

Rating: Hard
R/ NC-17 depending on your take.� (Of
course future sexual content will be linked off the site)

Warnings and Spoilers: Mild
violence, language and graphic sexual situations. �But no spoilers if you�re at least past Sasuke�s defection,
however there are obscure references to events past that, but nothing
concrete.�

Status: 6/10

Disclaimer:� Naruto isn�t mine� I just play with the boys
because it�s fun.

Summary:� Vengeance was always a deep part of
Sasuke, something Naruto had to accept when they became lovers.� But now that Uchiha Itachi is dead, the
blond shinobi discovers that the real battle to become the most important part
of Sasuke�s life has just begun.�

Author�s Notes:� I just want to thank everyone
again for reading this chapter� every time I post I get a ton of hits, so I
really appreciate it.� And of course the
feedback is always appreciated.� And I
fully intend to thank everyone personally once we get to chapter ten with
either an email or otherwise.� I just
want to state for the record that I�ve never knowingly or willingly copied
anything in this story from any other fanfiction in the Naruto fandom or any
other.� There may be similarities to
other fiction, for instance I�ve read a few fics where Sasuke moves in with Naruto
after returning from Sound.� But I chalk
that up to me writing in a fandom that is full of many other talented
authors.� As for anything else that
seems reminiscent in this fic I personally never read anything that reminded me
of specific other scenes or moments I included here.� And if similarities do exist I contribute that to coincidence and
an oversaturated fandom.� Hell, I wrote
an article on plagiarism for an MSN group I mod for.� (No joke) �^^

An important note this
time around:� Chapters 6 and 7 take
place over a 24-hour period, starting early Thursday morning and concluding in
chapter 7 early Friday morning.� Which
means that 6 and 7 are something of a super chapter broken up into 2.� Over the course of these 2 chapters
flashbacks are presented, and often times they don�t seem connected to what�s
going on in the present timeframe.� In
the previous five chapters the flashbacks fell under 2 categories; those that
led up to a certain event in Naruto and Sasuke�s relationship. (Sasuke leaving
to hunt down Itachi)� Or those that
related back or better clarified things that were happening in the
present.� (Naruto telling Sasuke he
loved him and wondering presently about what loving Sasuke means/entails/etc.)
And I suppose some of them even overlapped into both categories.�

The flashbacks in chapters 6
and 7 don�t all necessarily fall under either category.� Part of the reason for that is the normal
progression of Sasuke and Naruto�s thoughts.�
From the beginning there has been a conscious and unconscious avoidance
by both of them in dealing with the major issue at hand.� So what happens when the �important� stuff�s
already been thought about, you distract yourself with more mundane
matters.� Day to day moments in their
relationship.� However, there is a
reason I picked the moments I did.� And
even though these vignettes might seem �random� they do relate back to the
bigger picture.� (I guess you could say
you�ll just have to look underneath the underneath of some of the flashbacks in
chapters 6 and 7.� But so as not to
drive you nuts if you don�t figure it out all will be revealed in the endnotes
of chapter 7)

Enjoy!

Chapter 6:� Days Gone By

Sasuke woke early Thursday
morning in the same way he woke Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.� In pain.�
It hardly seemed like the last two days had only been two days.� Time moved so slowly, and yet here he sat
early Thursday morning, closing his eyes tightly and trying to block out the
aching inside of him.�

In two days time he�d been able
to fight with and make up with Naruto any number of times.� Plants became airborne; a wall near his head
got pounded with a fist.� Twice.� And pain.�
Comments about mothers and thoughts about fathers.� And pain.�
Two ANBU squads.� Kakashi.� Sakura.�
And always constant, always there:�
Pain.� It all whirled around his
head in a blur of thoughts.� Jumbled and
desperate and confused.� And pain� never
faltering�ever present.�

Pain.��

It was still dark outside, but
he could hear the birds chirping, and he didn�t feel any tenseness in his
joints so it would be another beautiful day.�
He wondered if Naruto found it interesting that life went on without
them.� People went on missions and to
the academy.� Lovers spent time
together, rivals sparred.� The world
just kept ticking, unaware, uncaring.�

I sound like a half-cocked
poet.�

But if he didn�t think about
his current condition what did he think about then?� Did he ponder Kakashi�s gift of the katana
and his subsequent statement about Sasuke not needing a new father?� Did he wonder if Naruto would find comfort
in Neji when he was gone?� Did he care
that Sakura�s thin attempts at keeping cheerful and pleasant around him would
finally fall completely apart and she�d let it all out in a rush of
emotion?�

There was a good in it being
Thursday.� It meant he was closer to
Saturday.� It meant that once Saturday
hit nothing else could be done� none of Naruto�s desperate yelling and
aggravations would matter because it�d be too late.� Sasuke would lie here in this hospital bed� in pain� waiting to
die.

Sasuke found himself in a
rather strange place now.� When Tsunade
had told him what the deal was, how bad it was� his options�he had been
resolute.� He had chosen and when he
told Naruto he had been as blunt and curt as possible, given the circumstances,
and he had been resigned to deal with whatever Naruto planned to say to counter
it.�

He had even expected Naruto to
act emotional.� He had been waiting for
it, really.� He had been waiting for it,
anticipating it.� Even Naruto�s
outbursts, even the plants being tossed out the open window had all fit into
what Sasuke had already knew would happen.�
Yes, he had been surprised a bit by some of the things Naruto and he had
said to one another.� And even the
plants were a little shocking given how much Naruto enjoyed gardening.� But predictable.� That was the word�it had all, in some way or another, been
predictable.�

And yet he was still thinking
about it.� He�d be lying if he said he
hadn�t lost a bit of his resolve.� He�d be
diluting himself if he didn�t admit he wasn�t as cool and collected about death
as he pretended to be.� For one thing he
didn�t want to die.� That had
been true from the beginning.� And there
was no need to go over all the reasons why he didn�t want the procedure even if
it did mean death.� They�d gone down
that road before.�

The other thing was, regardless
of Neji, Sasuke didn�t really like the idea of leaving Naruto.� It was true�very true�that Naruto had grown
into a fine ninja.� There was no mistake
in that.� He could take care of himself,
without any doubt.� And maybe it was
just that Naruto being so emotional about things was starting to get to him a
bit�even if he had been expecting it.�
But somehow having to watch that dejected look of loss in Naruto�s eyes
as Sasuke grew weaker and weaker shook him more than he cared to admit.�

Naruto took the whole thing
personally.� Maybe in some way he really
believed Sasuke hadn�t chosen the procedure just to hurt him.� Naruto maybe played a bit part, but Sasuke
didn�t set out to upset him.� And he
certainly didn�t like lashing out at Naruto the way he did.� Even if the blond thought he got some sick
pleasure from it.� He wasn�t sure why he
did it, lashing out the way he did.� He
also wasn�t sure why he couldn�t help but go over this whole thing over and
over again, because of Naruto.�

Three years of�.of
this�whatever you called it�it was a long time� a really long time.� They�d gone full circle any number of times,
and Naruto was so tangled up in what Sasuke�s life had been these last three
years that he didn�t really know himself without that.� Naruto and Itachi were the two constants in
his life.� Naruto had never once questioned
Sasuke�s will to kill his brother.�
Naruto never once objected to Sasuke wanting to go again when they
sparred, or spending all day out training.�
He didn�t say anything� Sasuke truly believed Naruto had started to
understand.

And now Itachi was dead.� Dead.�
And maybe a part of Naruto had wanted it almost as bad as Sasuke did. �With Itachi�s death Sasuke was free.� Or at least that was the plan.� But there was that pesky little saying about
best-laid plans.� And despite what
Naruto and he had gone through he hadn�t thought what happened after Itachi
died.� His whole existence, reason for
being, was wrapped in vengeance.� He
never dreamed of having a happy ending.�
With Naruto or otherwise.

And that was fine� he was
fine�he was an avenger� and he did what was necessary to seek vengeance.� That was the deal.� That was the cost.� It
wasn�t even that he wanted to kill Itachi because he wanted to finally best
him.� To see his unstoppable brother
stopped.� He was cocky and arrogant, but
he wasn�t that vain.� All he
wanted was simple.� To be whole
again.�

And though he had traveled down
this train of thought before too, it wasn�t just being whole� the idea of being
whole of course was rather abstract, and cumbersome.� But what he did understand of it� the part that made sense�he
wanted to visit his parents� gravesites, especially his father�s, without that
self-hatred for failing them all those years ago.�

When he concluded that he hated
his parents before; his mother for being perfect, and his father for letting
his mother die and for never getting the chance to tell him that he was truly
proud of him that damaged child within him felt hatred for this older Sasuke
too.� The remnants of that child Itachi
had destroyed still lived in him.� The
child who contemplated suicide.� The
child that clang to life desperately and pathetically because he was horrified
and weak.

And that child� the part of him
that turned weakness and fear into anger and hatred� that child that developed
into the dark brooding part of him�.that same damaged child had decided a long
time ago Sasuke wasn�t worthy enough to mourn his parents.� Sasuke wasn�t strong enough to show his face
in front of their tombstones and shed tears for them.� Sasuke had no right to call them his parents, to think about
them, to miss them, to love them� to need them� because he had survived and
they hadn�t.

So birthdays and holidays and
Father�s and Mother�s days all passed and he didn�t go to the cemetery.� And that child, the one who missed his
mother�s singing voice� who still beamed with an irrepressible pride at his
father�s acknowledgment�punished him for living� and for not killing
Itachi.� That child wanted solace�
wanted to be whole once more�wanted to leave that darkness that had kept him
alive and kept him pushing� kept him going.�
But Itachi was dead� and nothing felt different� nothing felt right�
nothing really changed� that void was still there.

So was death so bad?� No� he had convinced himself.� No.�
It wasn�t.� Would his father and
mother be pleased he had killed their son?�
Would Itachi being dead make life good again?� No.� It wouldn�t.� It hadn�t.�
And there was death� the death he had denied himself as long as he was
an avenger.� Death that didn�t seem
horrible, that didn�t seem unbearable.�

But here he was still thinking
about it.

Here he was with resolve crumbling�
here he was� second-guessing.� Second
thinking.� All death would bring would
be death.� Not peace.� Not absolution.� Just death.� The Uchiha
clan would be extinct, an eventual relic of the past.� Death wouldn�t make him whole either.� Lying in this hospital room, the life draining out of him
wouldn�t bring him solace.� Hadn�t he
seen enough death� hadn�t he killed� hadn�t he seen killing?� He�d die and he�d never lay flowers at his
parent�s gravesites.� He�d die and he�d
never continue to remember bits of lyrics about ninja monkeys.� And he�d never finish growing into the man
he thought his father wanted him to become.�
A man his father could look upon and see himself in.�

And then Naruto� oh yes� that
pesky�persistent�damned Naruto� the one who challenged his resolve and had
Sasuke sitting here thinking in the first place.��

That part of himself, the part
he thought died completely when he sold his soul for power, found new life with
Naruto.� But that was the weakness in
him� that was the part that hesitated when it came to leaving Naruto.� That was the part that faltered when he was
supposed to be indifferent.� Naruto had
touched that part of him in the Valley of the End.� And then again when he came to bring him home from Sound.� And again when Sasuke discovered Naruto had
kept his Hidden Village of Konoha forehead protector.� And with each passing moment that dark, angry, frightened child
let that other part of him take over� that happy part�that good part.��

It was that part Naruto kept getting
to that redirected the path he took.�
That made Sasuke want to become ANBU so he could eliminate Itachi
without having to run off in the middle of the night again.� It was that part that made him smile� made
him remember his mother�s laugh, and voice� and made him wonder if he was the
sort of man his father had dreamt he would be.�
That part had him losing himself when Naruto begged him on the ground
not to go after Itachi.� That part knew
that Naruto understood going after Itachi the way he had was a one-way trip,
and that part shook and weakened when he had to confront his own
mortality.� And if trading his life for
Itachi�s death was what he really had to do.�

Naruto had come after him
again� Naruto had made good on all his words of friendship and commitment and
chased after him�and he had stopped Sasuke from reaching his death.� And he was determined to stop Sasuke
again.� Every predictable outburst of
anger� of storming out of the room only to come back with a new self-promise to
convince Sasuke to reconsider.� Every
grin and intense look.� Every word
screamed or whispered�all running towards that same goal� that same
determination� that same place Sasuke was so terrified of.�

And that damn part of himself�
the part that Naruto controlled� that the blond owned� that made him vulnerable
and pathetic� that part of him was crying out to Naruto.� That part of him wanted to understand
Kakashi�s contradiction, that part wanted to stand in front of his father�s
tombstone as a man.� That part wanted to
feel the kind of compassion his mother and Sakura did.� That part saw beyond living as a ninja and
being strong and the possibilities Naruto�s stupid platitudes hinted at.��

That part wanted Naruto to save
him from himself.�

But that part had always been
the weakness inside of him� and the darkness had won out over and over
again.� And he wondered if Naruto was
capable of saving anything.�

- - - -
- - - - - - - -

Naruto knocked at the door of
Sasuke�s room.� And when he didn�t hear
anything he let himself in.� Sasuke was
sitting up, looking out the window at the early morning sunlight.� �Good morning, Sasuke.��

�What�s so good about it?�
Sasuke remarked, not looking at him.

�I see someone�s in one of his
mood�s this morning.�� Naruto hopped over
to the chair and pressed his crutches against the wall.� �You�ll be happy to know I ate.� I finally went down to the cafeteria and got
some breakfast.� Something I neglected
to do the last two mornings.� And I was
talking to a nurse today.� She said there
shouldn�t be any reason why my foot won�t be completely healed by the end of
next week, without the surgery.�

Sasuke wasn�t looking at
him.� Then he shifted and rolled away
from him completely.� Naruto
frowned.� Sasuke was obviously in the
same mood he had been in every time he was about to lash out on him.� Naruto was never sure what brought it on,
but he rolled his shoulders back, waiting for Sasuke to say something else
hurtful.�

Whatever it is, Sasuke� I�m not
going anywhere.� Yesterday and the day
before we got nowhere.� We never got to
talk without fighting.� If you don�t
change your mind by tonight, early tomorrow it�ll be too late.� I promised I wouldn�t leave you� but I also
promised I wouldn�t stop trying to knock some sense into you either.�

�Which
friends are coming today, Naruto?�
Hinata, Shino, and Kiba?��

�They�re
on a mission.� And Lee left for a
mission yesterday.� Shikamaru, Ino and
Chouji are on a mission now too.� And
Neji, before you ask, is set to go on a mission tomorrow.��

�Out
of friends, huh?� Such a pity.�� Sasuke�s back was totally to him now, and
his tone was harsh and bitter.�

�Can
I get you something?� Would you like
some ice water?�

�I
don�t need anything from you.��

�Very
well.�� Naruto sat back in his chair. ��I was hoping to see Sakura-chan when she
came in for the day.� We haven�t really
seen each other since everything happened and I was starting to miss her a bit.� She�s really pretty sweet, when she�s not in
a bad mood.� But I guess you know that
already.�

�I
don�t.�� Sasuke shifted.� �Sakura always acts the same towards
me.� I could kill her whole family and
she�d probably still treat me the same.�
Maybe clan genocide runs in the family.��

Naruto
made a face but ignored the comment.�
�Sakura�s always struggled to understand you, Sasuke.� I have too, so I can�t blame her for
that.��

�You
always act the same around me too, Naruto.�
Pathetic.��

�Yeah,
you�re right, Sasuke.� I am pathetic
when it comes to you.� Always have
been.� Even before we were friends.� But I don�t know how to fix that.� I don�t know how to stop worrying about you
and how to let you alone.� If you know a
solution I�d be glad to hear it.� Until
then why don�t you stop trying to provoke me?�
We�ve been at it for a night and two days and I�m tired of it.� How many times can we sit here having the
same conversation?� We�re not going
anywhere� we stalled.� And I�d like to
get moving again.�

�You
say that, but we both know how this is going to end, Naruto.� You�ll lose your patience with me and storm
out of here again.�

�I
won�t.� I can�t.� Not with so much at stake.�� Sasuke smirked.� �It won�t work, Sasuke.� I
swear on my dream to be hokage it won�t work.�
I don�t like giving up, Sasuke.�
And you know it.� That�s why you
keep pushing me away.� You want me to
give up on you like you gave up on yourself.�

�Psycho-babble
from the halfwit.�

�It�s
not working.� Are you ready to discuss
this like two adults, Sasuke?� No more
bullshitting around this.�

�There
isn�t anything to discuss.�� Sasuke
turned to look at him.� He looked even
worse than he had yesterday.� The lines
under his eyes were deeper and made his dark eyes look hollow.� He was sickly pale and so fragile
looking.� Like if Naruto spoke too
loudly Sasuke would shatter.� �You�re the
one who doesn�t want to have the same conversation.� So stop saying stupid shit.�

�Tell
me why having the procedure is worse than death, Sasuke.� Convince me.�

�I
don�t have to convince anyone.� If you don�t agree with my decision that�s
your choice.�

�Sasuke��

�You
know how I feel about it.� And you don�t
care.� So why should I care how you
feel?�

�That�s
not the same thing and you know it.� Of
course I care about how you feel�but when you tell me that you�d prefer to die
I�m going to fight you tooth and nail to figure out why.�

Sasuke
frowned.� �I tell you what, Naruto.� Give me one good reason.� One really good reason why I should have the
procedure.�

�This
isn�t some sick game, Sasuke��

�It�s
not a game.� You�re absolutely right.�

�Then
why are you��

�We�re
not going to agree which fate is worse, death or feeling dead inside because
you�re trapped in a body that can�t do anything anymore.� Living aside, Naruto, since living is your
one, and only argument� give me a reason why� why living as a shell of my
former self is worth it.� Can you do
that, Naruto?� Huh?�

�There�s
no telling what�s going to happen if you had the procedure.� Having the procedure doesn�t automatically
mean life, but it doesn�t mean not being a ninja anymore either.� There�s no telling, Sasuke.� The only certainty in this whole thing is
that you�ll die if you don�t have it.�
And given that certainty versus the unknown I�d say that�s a good enough
reason.�

�It�s
NOT!�� Naruto flinched hard.� �You have no idea� no fucking idea what it�s
like� because you�ve never felt this, Naruto�nothing close to this.� Do you have any idea what it feels like to
die slowly from the inside out?�
Everything hurts.�
Everything.� I wake up in the
middle of the night vomiting up blood.�
I�m so out of it half the time because I�m medicated so heavily I forget
my own name.� I can�t take a fucking
piss by myself�.don�t you dare� don�t tell me the unknown is better than
anything!� It�s not unknown� this pain�
this deep ache that makes my whole world spin isn�t unknown� it�s real� it�s my
life right now� and it�s the life that�s waiting for me on the road to
recovery� a recovery that could simply mean I�d recover into nothing that I
used to be.�

�Sasuke�I�� Naruto watched with frightened eyes as Sasuke
trembled violently.� �Sasuke�I�m�I�m
sorry� please�I� I never��

�I
don�t want to die, Naruto�I said that before�I don�t want to die� I don�t want
to be alone��

�I
won�t, Sasuke, I won�t leave� I promise on my life I won�t leave�no matter
what.��

�I
don�t want death�but I don�t see another choice��

�But,
Sasuke��

�Would
you expect me to believe that pain and bouts of blood-tinged nausea can all be
made worth it?� Can you look me in the
eye and tell me one reason� any reason why I should go through with the
procedure, Naruto?� Why living in the
unknown is better than death? Can you do that, Naruto?� Well, can you?��

Naruto
looked down into his lap and bit hard into his lip.� �Sasuke.�

�I
won�t have this discussion with you again, Naruto.� Not f you can�t give me a reason� one reason�� Sasuke
turned away from him.�

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Two Years and Four Months Ago

-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto frowned.� Of course Sasuke had to come home right now
from training with Kakashi, didn�t he.� Damn
Sasuke.� He�ll never let me hear the end
of this.� �Just what is that
supposed to be, Naruto?� A large
cookie?�

�It�s a cake.�

�What made you decide to make one
in the first place?��

�Iruka-sensei used to give me
slices of cake when I�d get home from missions and I�d stop in to see him.� It didn�t matter when I got back, he�d
always have a cake ready.� I�d look forward
to getting home and seeing a delicious cake made just for me.�

�How touching.� Did he write �Welcome home, Naruto� on it
too?�

�Shut up.�

Sasuke shook his head.� �I know cakes, Naruto.� And that isn�t one.�

�It� it just didn�t form all the
way� that�s all.� I�ll bake another
layer to put on top.�

�If the rest of the layers look
as pathetic as this one does you�re going to need seven or eight of them.�

�No I won�t.� The icing will fill in.��

�This really looks horrible, you
know that?�� Sasuke picked up a butter
knife and sliced through it.� �It�s
still raw on the inside.�

�I had to take it out� it was
burning on the bottom.�

�Throw that thing
away.��

�But, Sasuke��

�You�re really a mess,
Naruto.� You�re the type of guy who
needs help in the kitchen all the time.�

�Stop taking all the good
lines!�� Sasuke ignored him.�

Damn it, Sasuke�I�ll show you�
I�m going to make another cake� a really nice one� and then I�m going to eat
it� in your face, on your bed, while you
beg and plead to have a taste.� But I
won�t give you any no matter how nicely you ask me�well maybe if you do that
thing with your tongue again I�ll�

�I said take out the butter,
Naruto.�� Naruto looked at him.� �I have other things to do today, so let�s
make this quick.� Now set the oven
temperature again.�

�Wait a minute, you know how to
make a cake?��

�Doesn�t everyone?�� Naruto made a face.� �Get the milk and the eggs while you�re
getting the butter.�� Sasuke tossed the
original cake, pan and all, into the garbage.�
�And next time grease the pan, would ya.��

Is Sasuke really going to
teach me how to make a cake?� �Oi,
Sasuke� this is still my cake you know, I won�t let you take over.� And you can only have a slice if you beg me�
and do that thing with your tongue again.�
Like the other night.��

�Only if I do all that, huh,
Naruto?�� Sasuke took the large mixing
bowl out of the drying rack and began shaking out the extra water.� �Are you getting the ingredients or what?��

Naruto pulled the required things
out of the fridge.� �What else do we
need?�

�It seems most of the stuff is
still on the counter, right where you left it.�
It was obviously hoping for too much that you�d put things away when you
finished wasting them.��

�Shut up, Sasuke.��

�You need vanilla extract too.�

�For what?� I wasn�t making a vanilla cake.�

�It�s for flavor.�

�But I�m not making a vanilla
cake.�

�I know that.� Just get it out of the cabinet.��

�Are you sure you know how to
make a cake, Sasuke?� Because adding
vanilla flavoring to a cake that�s not vanilla doesn�t make me think you do.�

�Just be quiet before I get more
annoyed than I already am.�� Sasuke
pulled an egg out of the carton.� He
cracked it with a fork and it split it perfectly into two.�

�How�d you do that Sasuke?� I cracked the eggs and got shells in the
bowl.��

�It�s an egg cracking
jutsu.��

�There�s such a thing?� Naruto
wondered, lifting an eyebrow.� When
Sasuke made a face he realized he was being teased.� �Shut up.�

�No, I�m serious,� Sasuke
remarked, dryly.� �Orochimaru taught it
to me.� Right after I learned a flour
bleaching jutsu.��

�Shut up!�� It�s funny how Sasuke can make cracks
about him being with Orochimaru.� It�s
almost like he never left sometimes.�

�If you practice you�ll be able
to minimize the amount of shells that end up in the bowl.� The best thing to do is to put the eggs in
first, that way if you mess up, and I�m sure you will, you can take the shells
out easier.��

�Oh.��

�How many eggs you add will
determine how fluffy and light the cake will end up.� You should also sift the dry ingredients together first before
you add the wet ones.�� Sasuke opened
the cabinet above their heads.� �It�s
better to mix them in a separate bowl first.��
Sasuke opened the flour package.�

�Umm� Sasuke?�� The brunet turned.�

�What?� �

�How come you know how to do
this?� Really?��

�We used to have a lot of
homemade cakes.�� Sasuke pulled out the
measuring cup.� �Did you get the vanilla
extract like I told you to?��

�Oh� yeah� sorry� don�t pour the
stuff in yet� I want to watch.�� Naruto
turned around.�

�I�ll work on the dry
ingredients.� You can practice breaking
eggs.�

�Okay, Sasuke.�� He used to have a lot of homemade
cakes?� When he was a kid?� I bet his mother used to make them.� Naruto smirked.� He could imagine a miniature version of
Sasuke walking over to the counter where his mother was mixing, probably asking
her about ninja stuff as she baked.� And
then deciding to help her so she could show him some fancy Uchiha technique
once they were done baking.�

�Hold the egg at an angle,
Naruto,� Sasuke instructed, once Naruto returned to the countertop with the
vanilla extract.� Sasuke stopped what he
was doing with the dry ingredients and moved his hands against the blond�s.� Naruto could feel himself blush.� �Like this.�
Now hit it with the edge of the fork.��

Naruto did.� And egg yolk got on both of their
hands.� Though some managed to get into
the bowl, without shells.� �Oops.�� Sasuke made a face.� But he didn�t look upset.� �Show me again, Sasuke?��

�I�m going to have to,
Naruto.� I�m not going to come home to
the smell of burnt, half-cooked cakes the next time you decide to play Little
Ninja Homemaker.��

�Shut up.�� Naruto picked up another egg.� �I�ll get this, and then I�ll be better at
making cakes then you, Sasuke.�

�I doubt that.� I�m going to have to show you how to do this
again.� You�re no good without me.��

�You wish.�� But Naruto smiled as Sasuke showed him again
how to crack an egg properly.� �I�m
getting better already.�

�Don�t get so cocky, you have to
beat them still.�

�I�m good at beating things,
Sasuke.� You liked how I beat you off
last night, right?�� Naruto wiggled his
eyebrows.� Sasuke made another face, but
smirked at Naruto�s antics despite himself.

Once I get good at this I�m
going to make homemade cakes for you, Sasuke� like Iruka-sensei made for me�
and like your mom used to make for you.�

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was late morning when
Kakashi came into Sasuke�s hospital room.�
Naruto had left to see Sakura when he had found out she had come in from
a nurse who was checking how Sasuke�s fever was.� Naruto had stayed in the room in silence after their latest
disagreement, tending to the plants, helping Sasuke go to the bathroom and
sitting on the chair in quiet contemplation.�
Naruto hadn�t attempted to answer Sasuke�s question because what the
brunet said was true.

This whole time Naruto had been
insisting life was enough of a reason, and now that Sasuke had shot that
possibility to hell there wasn�t anything else Naruto could say to
counter.� But the blond hadn�t left�
despite the look of hurt and desperation in those blue eyes he hadn�t left.� He had sat next to Sasuke�s side deep in
troubled thought, and Sasuke wondered if he had given Naruto an impossible
task.�

Naruto had until early tomorrow
morning to answer a question he probably didn�t really understand.� Even though they had reached a breakthrough
late yesterday afternoon, to Naruto, a person who was naturally optimistic and
saw everything for its possibilities, the very notion of death being better
than life was most likely an inconsistency.�
The glass was always half full with Naruto.� He could keep smiling no matter what happened.� So he couldn�t see this the way Sasuke
did.�

So then how was Naruto going to
come up with an answer to the question of the day?�

In truth, that damned pesky
part of Sasuke wanted Naruto to answer him� to give him the kind of answer that
knocked the wind out of him� but he didn�t know if such an answer existed.� Sure Sasuke understood that his death would
cause heartache for Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto.� And sure there was no telling what Tsunade could come up with in
the future.�

But he had heard those
arguments� and he wasn�t impressed with them.�
Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto would lose loved ones whether he died or
not.� They were shinobi and this was the
way life was.� And the promise of more
pain and being weak and useless far outweighed any potential miracles Tsunade
could come up with years from now.�

Sasuke gave Kakashi a dark
look.� �Just what is it you want.� Why are you back?�

�It would seem Kisame and
another unidentified member of Akatsuki had a run in with some ANBU.� Kisame made threats about Itachi.� I�m not sure exactly what was said, but the
captain of the squad confirmed that your brother was indeed dead.� There�s no telling what Akatsuki plan on
doing now.� But the fight ended with
only minor injuries and the squad returned to report to the Hokage.�

�And you came rushing over to
tell me, huh?��

�No, not really.� But if I came in here without telling you
something you�d probably cop that attitude you�re so famous for sporting and
throw me out of your room.�

�I wouldn�t want to disappoint
you.� So get the fuck out.�� Kakashi�s single eye twinkled before
curving.� �You heard me.�

�You know, I told myself I
wouldn�t get in the middle of things, but I have to agree with you, Naruto is
pretty pathetic to stay with you after all.�

�So now you�re playing father
to Naruto, Kakashi?� He has Iruka, if
you�re looking for a son why don�t you adopt some little orphan kid.��

�Still hung up about the katana
I see.�

�I�m not in the mood for a mind
fucking, so get the hell out.��

�If you keep getting angry like
that you�ll raise your blood pressure, and that can be pretty dangerous
considering your condition.��

�Why does it matter?� I�ll be dead anyway.�

�Indeed.��

�What do you want?�

Kakashi shrugged.� �I can�t come visit my former student?�

�No.�� Kakashi only smiled again.�
�I have no interest in seeing you, Kakashi.�� The older man shrugged indifferently again.�

�I didn�t cry after my father
died.� Did I ever tell you that,
Sasuke?� the brunet jounin narrowed his eyes, but found himself
swallowing.� �I was about the age you
were when you lost your parents when it happened but I didn�t want to break any
rules.� And all good ninja know you�re
never supposed to show any emotion.��

�Your father wasn�t murdered by
your brother, Kakashi.�

�No, he wasn�t.� But that�s beside the point, of course.�

�What is the point?� I cried when I found my parents dead,
Kakashi.� And you didn�t cry when your
father died.� Why are we going over ancient
history?��

�I was angry with my father
after it happened.� So angry I hated
him.� I hated what he had done and how
he had left me alone.� Maybe it was because
of this that I didn�t notice that I had cast away his legacy and memory.� He was dead, and he was no longer my father.� And Sensei became what I wanted and wished
my father could have been.� I cared
about Sensei deeply, Sasuke.� But he
couldn�t replace my mother�s husband.�
Sensei told me that, but I was obstinate.� This man wasn�t my father, I had never once told him I felt like
he was�and I certainly didn�t think that.�
It wasn�t until his death that the words finally sunk in.��

�I�m not you, Kakashi.� You might have allowed the Fourth to fill
the void your father left�but that has nothing to do with me.� My father wasn�t your father, Kakashi.� He already had a favorite son.� I was just someone that didn�t quite measure
up to his favorite.� My father didn�t
leave a void for you to fill because he never got the chance to let me prove
myself to him.�� Sasuke narrowed his
eyes.� �I�ve had enough of you,
Kakashi.� Now get out.��

�You hate him don�t you,
Sasuke?��

�What are you� I told you to
leave�I�ll call a nurse if you��

�When you talk about him your
eyes flicker.� I don�t need the
Sharingan to see that much. �This isn�t
about Itachi, Sasuke.� You keep missing
the bigger picture here.��

�And what is that� huh?�� Sasuke could feel his control slipping.� �You should never have given me the katana,
Kakashi.� And it�s none of your damned
business how I feel about my father.��

�I won�t talk to you when
you�re upset, Sasuke.�

�I told you to get the fuck out
of here before.� I have every right to
be upset!�

�Sensei was always there for
me, Sasuke.� Even when I didn�t like
what he had to say.�

�And he died.� Just like your father did.� Just like everyone important to you did�
right?� So what�s the damned point?� Someone�s always going to die� no matter
what you do, or how strong you are�someone will die�so why not hate him� why
shouldn�t I hate him?� He let my mother
die!� He let Itachi turn into a
psychopath.� It doesn�t matter who the
hell I see as my father, Kakashi�you� him� it�s all the same bullshit!�

Sasuke could feel his heart
racing.� He turned his head to look out
the window� willing Kakashi to leave him alone.

�A teacher fails if his
students don�t outlive him, Sasuke.�
With any luck I�ll die before you do.�
You can hate me for dying or for giving you the katana, or for whatever
other reason you want.�� Sasuke glanced
at him.� �And you can hate your father
as well, Sasuke.� Or you can accept your
father for who he was�and who he wanted you to be.� You can live in hatred, you can let the Uchiha legacy die with
him or you can carry it on within yourself.��

�Another speech from dear old
dad, eh, Kakashi?�� Sasuke looked away
again.� �You can�t speak two sentences
without contradicting yourself.��

�There�s a huge difference
between taking on a fatherly role and being your father, Sasuke.� And it goes beyond the fact that I didn�t sleep
with your mother.�� Sasuke narrowed his
eyes sharply and turned to look at the silver-haired man.� �Just making sure you were paying
attention.�

�I told you to leave.� I won�t sit hear and listen to any more
bullshit from a pseudo-father who�s in denial that he�s a pseudo-father in the
first place.� Maybe you�re the one that
cast yourself in the role; did you ever think of that?� Your misguided feelings towards the Fourth
made you decide I needed you to play father of the fucking year.�

�All that huffing and puffing
and you still don�t understand.��

�Then tell me!� If I don�t understand tell me the answer
then.�

�As long as your issues with
your father remain unresolved any issues you have with me won�t work themselves
out.� When you sort out your feelings
about your father and his death I�m quite sure you�ll understand why I gave you
the katana.� Maybe you�ll even
understand why I showed you the chidori too.�

�You said you were teaching me
the chidori so I could protect important friends.�

�You obviously didn�t look
underneath the underneath.� Well then,
I�ll be going.�

�Goddamn it, Kakashi.�� Kakashi looked at him innocently.� �What makes you think you can come barging
in here with more of your bullshit.��

�Well, you know what they say, Sasuke.�� Kakashi�s eye curved into a big smile.� �Father knows best?� Right?�

�Go fuck yourself,
Kakashi.��

�You should calm down,
Sasuke.� In your condition you�re liable
to give yourself a stroke.��
�

- - - -
- - - - - - - -

�How are you feeling,
Naruto?�� The blond jounin looked at his
friend for a long moment.

�How am I?� Sasuke wants
me to give him a reason why he should have the procedure because being alive
isn�t enough on its own�he was so angry before I thought he�d jump out of bed
and do something violent.� Despite the
fractured leg.� What the hell am I
supposed to do?

��Naruto?�

�I�m alright.� It�ll be nice to get my foot out of this
stupid cast.�� Naruto grinned
brightly.�

�So what is it you wanted to
see me about, Naruto?��

�Oh, I just wanted to make sure
you were okay, Sakura-chan.� Ino and Lee
both went on missions didn�t they?� I
didn�t want you to get lonely or something.�

�I won�t get lonely,
Naruto.� I�m too busy to get
lonely.� Besides, Ino�s mission with the
rest of her team is a low B-rank, and it�s just to deliver a confidential
document to some lord somewhere in Fire Country.� I�m sure they�ll be back in a day or two.� The only reason they got asked to go in such
a big group was because the lord in question is something of a worrier and was
willing to pay extra for a four-man ninja team to handle what one ninja could
have easily done.� And Lee will be
fine.�

�Oh, well, that�s good to
hear.�

�The question is, what did you
really want to see me about, Naruto?�

�Not much.� Just thought I�d drop in.� I hadn�t seen you, not really, I mean.� We hadn�t gotten a chance to talk in a
while.�

Sakura nodded.� �I suppose you�re right.� We haven�t.�� She gave him a tight smile.�
The kind she reserved for when she was stressed and upset but didn�t
want to talk about it.� Naruto knew that
smile well, the same way Sakura knew what that big, dumb grin on his face
meant.�

Will you bring up, Sasuke?� Or should I?�

�How long is Lee supposed to be
gone?� he asked.�

�About a week or so.� He went solo this time, but he wasn�t
allowed to tell me what the mission entailed.��

�That�s always the worst, huh?�

�I guess.� But you get used to it.�

�Yeah, I guess so.��

�Did you eat, Naruto?�� Sakura had her hands folded on the desk she
was sitting behind as she looked at Naruto firmly.� �If I find out you skipped breakfast ��

�Yeah.� I ate.��
Naruto made a face.� �What�s the
big deal about me eating anyway?�

�You always tend to eat like a
bird whenever you�re stressed out, Naruto.�
If someone doesn�t remind you to eat you probably won�t.� As it is I�m sure you�ve probably lost a bit
of weight because you�re not eating nearly as much as you should.� You have a higher than usual
metabolism.� Even for a shinobi.� I don�t know if it�s the kyuubi or
what.� In any case, it can�t be
helped.� Someone has to get on you about
eating.�

Sasuke.�

�Sakura-chan�did you see Sasuke
yesterday?�

�Yes.� I did.� I stopped in
briefly before I had to go back to the Tower.�
Why do you ask?�

�Just wondering, that�s
all.�� Maybe it�s better we don�t
talk about this.� I don�t know what to
say�this isn�t like when we were kids, it�s not like when I was younger and I
could promise Sakura-chan I�d bring Sasuke home.�

Sasuke.� What am I supposed to do?� What am I supposed to say?� How do you want me to answer your question
when I�m not really sure what kind of answer would be good enough.� If living isn�t enough than what would
be?�

�There isn�t anything to worry
about, Naruto.� You shouldn�t wear such
a serious expression.�� Naruto looked at
the pink-haired jounin.� Sakura-chan.� �You made a believer out of me a long
time ago, Naruto.��

Naruto met pretty eyes before he
smiled for real.�
�

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Three
Years Ago
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura nodded.� Sasuke gave her a critical look.� �You understand that I could care less what
you think about it.� But Naruto�s been
driving me crazy obsessing over your reaction to the two of us.� It�s annoying, so if you have a problem with
it you better just pretend you don�t.��

�But I don�t have a problem with
it, Sasuke.� Really, I�m happy for both
of you.� Naruto�s been pretty hung up
over you ever since he came back from training with Jiraiya-sama.� I suppose I just thought it was because he�s
always seen you as a brother, but once you came back it started becoming clear
that some of those feelings were less than�platonic.�� Sakura gave the brunet a little smile.� �It�s really fine.� I
stopped crushing on you a long time ago.�
And Naruto�s really become a close friend.� He has nothing to worry about.�

Sasuke studied her for a long
moment.� He didn�t see why the fact that
the blond and him were now intimate with each other was anyone else�s business
but their own.� Bad enough Kakashi had
already figured it out, and had apparently told Iruka since the academy teacher
had been giving him strange looks lately.�
Even Shikamaru had assumed something was going on.� And if he knew that meant Chouji and Kiba would
be soon to follow.� But this Sakura
thing had made it even worse.

Sasuke didn�t have an issue with
Sakura.� He wasn�t even surprised that
she and Naruto had become so close.� And
maybe because of that her opinion on the subject mattered so much to the
blond.� Whatever it was Naruto had been
pacing back and forth like an idiot for days� telling Sasuke that they�d have
to tell Sakura as soon as she came back from her medical conference in Water
Country.�

Well, here Sakura was.� Back.�
And Sasuke wasn�t going to make this more dramatic than it needed to
be.� He called Sakura and told her to
swing by and told it to her flat out.�
Bluntly.� Then he waited for her
reaction.� If she was planning on
disapproving or making any negative comments Sasuke wanted to be the one to
deal with it.� The last thing he needed
was Naruto to be upset that his precious Sakura didn�t support whatever
it was between them.�

Sakura had been a bit surprised. But
nothing she did or said afterwards showed any sort of anger or hurt.� She took the whole thing in stride,
actually.� Which was surprising.� Even if you looked past the love triangle
between the three of them from their past it wasn�t every female who found out
her two male teammates and lifelong friends were fucking each other.� Of course Sakura had become quite taken with
Lee these days, and had been for a while.�
And as she said, she had stopped crushing after the brunet a long time
ago.�

The door opened.� �Sasuke, I�m home� Shizune said Sakura
should be home now.� We should go tell
her what�s going on before I lose my nerve and� AAAH!��

�Hello, Naruto.�

�Sakura-chan� er� what are you
doing here?�

�I just wanted to say
congratulations, Naruto.� And invite
Sasuke and you out to dinner with Lee and I tomorrow night.�

�Congratulations?�� Naruto glanced at Sasuke.� �You�you told her?��

�You guys really deserve each
other.� Heaven knows no one else would
be able to stand either one of you in long doses.�� Naruto was gapping like a fish.�
�Really, Naruto, what did you expect I�d say?�

�I just thought�maybe I�d end up
with a head injury or something,� Naruto answered.�

�Don�t be silly.� I won�t say I wasn�t a bit surprised.� But you guys really compliment each
other.� And appreciate each other.�� She smiled.�
�It�s a good match.��

�You really think so,
Sakura-chan?�

�Yes.�� She gave him a quick, but firm hug.�

Naruto let out a held
breath.� �Well, that�s good to
hear.� I�m glad you�re taking this so
well.� I was sure you�d be heartbroken
about this.�

�Come on, Naruto, I haven�t
crushed on Sasuke since we were younger.��

�No, no�not Sasuke.� Me.��

�You?� Sasuke and Sakura asked in
unison.

�I mean you had to settle with
Lee after all.�

�Settle with
Lee?� Sakura asked tightly, eyes narrowing.��

�It takes a big
girl, a really big girl to step aside and go out with Bowl Cut when you could
have had a hokage.� But don�t feel bad,
Sakura-chan, and if you need to let it out you do that.� I won�t think any less of you.�

�I�ll try to
pick up the pieces and go on, Naruto,� Sakura ground out.

�Of course if
it�ll help with the healing process I can give you one goodbye
kiss�OOOOW!�� Naruto glanced at
Sasuke.� Sasuke frowned.� �Damn it, Sasuke.�

�You�re not
giving anyone a goodbye anything, Naruto,� Sasuke snapped,
narrowing his eyes.

�Oi, Sasuke,
you didn�t have to hit so hard.�
Besides, I wouldn�t have added any tongue�OOOW!�� Naruto clutched his swelling head as he
looked at Sakura.� �What the hell, you
said you weren�t going to hit me.�

�You had it
coming, Naruto,� Sakura answered.

�I would have
been fair about it, shesh.� If Sasuke
wanted to kiss Lee I would have�OOOOW!��
Sasuke and Sakura lowered twin fists.�

�I�m going to
go.� I�m tired from the trip home.� I�ll see Naruto and you tomorrow night,
Sasuke.��

�Alright.�� Sasuke opened the door for her.� Naruto slumped onto the couch in pain.��

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto turned at the knock on the
office door.� Sakura had been telling
him about what she had been working on recently.� Which was quite a lot, much to Naruto�s chagrin.� And they still had avoided discussing the
possibility that Sasuke could die depending on whether or not Naruto answered
Sasuke�s question correctly.�

The nurse looked at the blond
as she stood in the doorway.� �I�m glad
to have found you, Naruto-kun.� You have
a visitor.��

�A visitor?�� Who in the world could be here to visit
me?�

�He�s waiting in your
room.�� Well, it being a he
doesn�t eliminate anyone but Tenten, the only female friend I have who isn�t on
a mission or isn�t Sakura-chan.� It must
be Kakashi then.� Iruka probably sent
him to check up on Sasuke and me again.�

�Okay, I�ll go see him.� Sasuke mentioned he was going to take a nap
before I came to find you anyway.��
Sakura nodded, understanding.�
�If you see Sasuke before I get back to him just let him know I�ll be in
to see him in a few minutes.��

�I will, Naruto.�� She smiled that tight smile again.�

�Sakura-chan, you worry me when
you work too hard� you know?�

�I know.�� They met eyes.� �I�ll try to take a long lunch today.�

�Well, you can bring me something
if you like.� If you go somewhere.� Like the ramen shop.�� Sakura gave Naruto a look.� �You know you love me, Sakura-chan.�

�Sometimes, Naruto.� Sometimes.��
She gave him a little playful push but smiled a little broader.�

Naruto gathered up the crutches
and headed for his room.� I wonder
what Kakashi wants to see me about?�
Yesterday afternoon when I saw him I was ready to leave Sasuke here in
the hospital I was so upset.� I wonder
if Kakashi and Sasuke had another talk.�
And I wonder if Kakashi�s afraid I�m still upset after what happened
yesterday.

I don�t know what Kakashi
talks to Sasuke about, but Sasuke must not like it much since he was pissed off
before and didn�t want to see Kakashi again.�
Maybe Kakashi knows what I could say to Sasuke to convince him he�s
making a mistake.� Kakashi�s pretty smart,
mostly.� I�m sure if I ask him to answer
Sasuke�s question he will.� As long as
he doesn�t go into how Sasuke�s question is like molding chakra.�

Naruto opened the door.� �Oi, Kaka-sensei, I need your advice about
something.�

�It�s just me, Naruto.�� The blond froze.� �But maybe I could give you some advice.�

�Neji?��

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Two
Years and Ten Months Ago
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

�But Sasuke, do you have any idea
how rare it is for them to have Triple Coupons on ramen!��

�Keep your voice down,� Sasuke
answered, narrowing his eyes.� �It�s bad
enough you moonlight as an idiot, does the whole village need to know I�m
involved with one too?��

�Come on, Sasuke� I can stock up
for four or five months.�

�Why the hell is it that you
always decide you need to add ramen to our grocery list whenever I�m the one
paying for the groceries in the first place?�
I�m tired of supporting your ramen habit.�

�Just let me get in your wallet
and�� the look Sasuke shot the blond
stilled his fingers.� �Please�I�ll cook
dinner for a whole week.�

�Usually in these situations,
Naruto, you�re supposed to bargain with something the other person actually
wants.� You cooking dinner for a week means
I�ll be trying international ramen cuisine.��
Sasuke grabbed a second box of rice off the shelf and placed it in their
cart.� �No dice.�

�Sasuke�..please, Sasuke� please,
please�. Please��

�Damn it, fine.� Just grab those stupid dried up cups of noodles.� Whatever you do shut your mouth already.�

�You�re the best, Sasuke.�� Naruto�s larger than necessary grin took up
his whole face.�

�Just so we�re clear you�re
bottoming for a week.�� Sasuke turned
the shopping cart.� �I�ll be in the
dairy section.��

�Hold on� I didn�t agree to
that.�

�If you want that ramen you
will.� Your choice, Naruto.�� Sasuke didn�t bother to look back.� He really is an idiot.� But not having to fight over which one of us
is seme for a week will be a pleasant change� not that I don�t enjoy pinning
that blond fool to the bed and�well I shouldn�t think about it at the
market�that could become a problem.�

Sasuke rounded the corner and
opened the case to grab some milk.� He
had long since given up trying to split their shopping list between the two of
them because Naruto always managed to add unnecessary things to the cart.� And sending Naruto by himself to the store
was an even bigger gamble.�

Knowing Naruto he�d probably
trade their food money for a handful of magic beans or something.� ��

�Sasuke.��

The brunet glanced to his left
and spotted Kiba out of the corner of his eye.�
He hadn�t seen Kiba since the infamous rooftop party.� Since then Naruto and him had returned from
their first B-rank mission with Kakashi, gone on two others, and had begun
sleeping together.�

Actually since that party and the
return Naruto and him had sort of fallen into this new aspect of their
friendship.� Without the sexual tension
between them their sparring sessions were more productive, and Sasuke hesitated
to admit that these last six weeks with Naruto were probably some of the best
in his life.� He had put the whole thing
with Kiba and Neji out of his mind because that little blond idiot managed to
actually get a smile out of him on occasion.�

He�d even given Naruto a pet
name.�

Well, �Dobe-kun� was as much of a
pet name as any of the other names Sasuke called him.� Naruto hated it.� So
Sasuke kept saying it.� Naruto was sure
it wouldn�t stick and that Sasuke would get tired of mocking him.� But he hadn�t so far, and the future was
looking bright.

As for Kiba, well this was a
surprise to say the least.� He knew
eventually he�d see Kiba again.� After
all, he was Naruto�s friend.� He was
bound to pop in the apartment at some point. �It was really only a matter of time.� This grocery store setting for their first meeting wasn�t
expected.� But since Sasuke really didn�t
care anymore since everything with Naruto had worked out anyway he didn�t see a
need to rehash old stuff.�

�Kiba.� �

The nin-dog owner opened the milk
freezer.� �Hinata wanted me to invite
Naruto and you over to her place for dinner for Friday.� She made it explicit that you both be there.� Personally, I�m not anxious to spend an
evening in your company.� But I�d like
to continue getting laid, so I�m willing to leave the past in the past.�

�Whether or not you screw your
girlfriend is hardly a concern of mine, Kiba,� Sasuke stated simply.� He wasn�t being nasty about it, but there
was nothing wrong with being blunt, as far as he was concerned.

Kiba let the comment roll off his
back anyway, most likely because he was over their argument too, and besides
Sasuke could have been a lot more obnoxious if he wanted to be.� �No, I guess it�s not your concern.� But screwing Naruto probably is.��

�Don�t presume you know the
dynamics between Naruto and I.�

�You guys might not be straight
but a relationship is a relationship.�
And neither of us is going to see much action unless we pretend to get
along for Hinata and Naruto.�� Naruto�s
fiercely loyal where his friends are concerned.� I thought you knew Naruto well.�

�Hn.��

�So we�re in agreement then.� We get along when necessary.�

�As long as you don�t do anything
to aggravate me I�ll keep face.�

�Same goes to you.�� Kiba closed the freezer, and then
turned.� �I�ll see you on Friday
then.�� Sasuke didn�t remark.� But Kiba didn�t stand around waiting for an answer
either.�

Naruto wasn�t Hinata of
course.� And Naruto had already said
that when it came down to it Sasuke mattered more than anyone else, and the
blond would always choose him over his other friends.� Besides Naruto was a male teenager.� A horny, male teenager at that.�
He doubted Naruto would really attempt to deny Sasuke sex as a means of
getting the brunet to get along with Kiba.�

Of course this week he got to be
seme without any debate.

And who was he to push his
luck.�

�- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now

-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Neji?

�Neji?� What are you doing here?� I
thought you had a mission tomorrow morning, first thing.��

The pale-eyed jounin had that
same uncomfortably tense look on his face.�
�It�s hard for me not to worry about you, Naruto.�� Naruto frowned instantly.� �I didn�t know your number here.� Otherwise I would have called first.� And when I called the hospital they said you
weren�t a patient.�

�Well� I�m technically not a
patient,� Naruto answered.� He sat down
on his bed.� �Neji, I have to go back to
Sasuke�s room, I can�t stay in here with you like the other day.� Sasuke and I got in a really bad fight over
that, actually.�

�I�m sorry, Naruto.� I didn�t mean to cause any turmoil between
the two of you.�� Neji sat beside him on
the bed.� �If there�s something I could
do to make things right between you two let me know.�

�Listen, Neji, I have a lot on my
mind right now.� I�m really at the edge
and I know you�re just trying to help but� I don�t know� sometimes I think
Sasuke�s right about you.�

�Right about me in what
way?�� Neji sounded almost concerned.� Damn it� the last thing I want to do is
to have this conversation with him right now� I don�t even know what I�m trying
to say�

�Sasuke could die.� Unless he has a procedure to correct the
chakra circulatory system damage I told you about on Tuesday.� He doesn�t want to have the procedure
because Tsunade-baba would have to rewire his channels and remove any damaged
channels she couldn�t fix with this experimental procedure she wants to try.� If she has to remove them around his major
organs, like his heart, he won�t be able to mold chakra anymore.� And I don�t have to tell you what that
means.� Sasuke and I have been fighting
about it since he told me his prognosis.�
And today he said that he refused to talk about it unless I gave him one
good reason why he should gamble to live without his shinobi abilities over
dying an honorable death.��

Naruto took a deep breath.� He hadn�t said it out loud until this
moment� and now that he had he felt an overwhelming sense of depression.� It hadn�t really hit him just how real this
all was until this very moment, until he told Neji everything in a big
rush.� But now that he had confessed
this to Neji he found he wanted to say it all� get it all out there� if only to
calm his restless heart just a bit.

�He looks so bad, Neji� so weak
and sick�he�s always running a fever, and he coughs up blood.� I don�t know what I should do� he�s in a lot
of pain� a whole lot� and I can�t imagine what he�s going through, but then he
yells at me and makes me feel bad.� He
made a comment about me not having a mother, and another about us not being in
a relationship because he never tells me how he fells about me.� I was ready, after yesterday, to just leave�
if Kakashi didn�t stop me I would have left�I just� he�s so impossible� what
the hell am I supposed to tell him?� Why
can�t I be enough of a reason to live?�
What does he really expect me to say?�
If he doesn�t change his mind by tomorrow morning it�ll be too late to
perform the procedure� and then he�ll� he�ll die.� But I can�t lose him� I don�t know what I�d do if I lost him,
Neji� he�s� he�s more than just my best friend� or even a brother� he�s� he�s
this deep part of me� I can�t even��

Naruto slumped as Neji squeezed his
shoulder tightly. �You must be beside yourself, Naruto.� You haven�t been sleeping or eating well,
have you?�� Naruto shook his head.� Neji squeezed even tighter.� �Right now your emotions are too close to
the surface; all that�s going to do is make things worse if you try to talk to
Sasuke right now.�

�I have to� I have to say
something.� I have to be there for him�
if I�m not than my case falls apart.��

�There�s time for that.� Right now you should take a nap, and calm
down.� Two hours in a deep, dreamless
sleep will do you a lot of good.�
Nothing will get accomplished if you speak to Sasuke at the moment.�

�I can�t sleep at a time like
this� and if I don�t talk to Sasuke, who will?�� Naruto narrowed his eyes.�
�Neji� if you�re thinking� if you�re thinking you can go to Sasuke
and�.you�re nuts you know that��

�It�s time for you to rest,
Naruto.� You can find balance again
after you sleep.�

�I�m not going to sleep, I�m
going to find Sasuke.� I�ll rest when I
know he�ll be okay.��

Neji lowered his eyes.� �I�m afraid I can�t let you do that,
Naruto.�� The Hyuuga clan member looked
back up.�

�What the hell are you� Neji�
what�s with your eyes�� Naruto�s felt
his body jerk.�

�It�s a sleep technique� you�ll
be out for two hours, no more.� And I assure
you you�ll feel better��

�What did� you�.�� Naruto felt his arms and legs go completely
numb� �Neji��

Naruto hit the pillow
soundly.�

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A Year and a Half Ago

- - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

�

Sasuke�s eyes were trained onto
the scroll in his lap as Naruto bounded into their bedroom.� He was sitting on Naruto�s bed looking over
some of the documents from his parents� house, waiting for the blond to make up
his bed since it was he who had so gracefully spilled grape juice all over it,
causing the sheets to need a washing in the first place.� Naruto had gone to the laundry mat and
washed the sheets in question but they sat in a messy pile on Sasuke�s bed because
Naruto had gone to answer the phone maybe ten minutes ago.� But now that he was finished with his call
he could�

�SASUKE!�� Sasuke glanced up with sharp dark eyes.� �Er�um�I need your advice.�

�What you need is to make up my
bed.� I�m not spending the evening on
this flea-ridden mattress.�

�I don�t have fleas!�

�How do you know that,
Naruto?� When�s the last time you washed
these sheets.�

�Shut up, Sasuke!��

Sasuke looked back down at his
reading.� He had long since learned the
basics when it came to his fire jutsus.�
But it didn�t hurt to read up on other applications for chakra-fueled
flames.� After all, with no one besides
Itachi around to teach Sasuke some of the Uchiha family secrets scrolls were
his only option.� And it would be most
appreciated if a certain blond idiot, albeit a cute idiot, didn�t interrupt him
by being��

�Sasuke!� Come on it�s important.�

�What�s important is you��

�I know, I will, but really�
this is important� that was Sakura-chan on the phone.�� Sasuke glanced at Naruto and pinched the
bridge of his nose.� �I need your
advice, Sasuke.� It�s really
important�unless you want me to call Neji and��

�Just make it quick.� Ten words or less.�

�But Sasuke!��

�That�s two words.�

�Sasuke!�

�Three.�

�Remember how I was telling you
about Chouji and how he has that crush on Ino� and you told me to stay out of
it�well I didn�t and��

�That�s way more than ten
words.�� Sasuke made a face at the
blond.� �And I did tell you to
stay out of it.�

�Yeah, but I�I didn�t.�

I�m not going to finish reading
this am I?� Sasuke
started rolling the scroll back up.� �If
that�s the case, then you already know my advice.� Stay out of it.��

�But�I�well, I went and spoke
to Ino, you know.� She was filling in
for her mom down at the flower shop.��
Sasuke took a breath and held it, trying to get himself to stay calm
before he yelled at Naruto all over again.�
�And I casually mentioned that since Shikamaru was going to be in Sand
for the rest of the month she and Chouji could probably get together, just the
two of them.� And I even waggled my
eyebrows so she�d know I meant like a date or something.�

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.� �In what culture does waggling your eyebrows
mean a date, Naruto?� Are you really
that ridiculous?� This is why I told you
to stay��

�It gets worse.�� Naruto was biting his lip.�

�Of course it gets worse.� Anything that you do always gets
worse.�� Sasuke shook his head.� �Why are you telling me this anyway?� Why should I care what stupid situation you
got yourself into this time.�

�Just listen�so anyway, I told
Chouji that Ino wanted to go out on this hot date with him.� Tonight.�
And what time Ino said he could come pick her up for dinner at that BBQ
place they always go to.�

�I don�t want to hear the
rest.�

�Wait�so he got all dressed up
and went to Sakura and Ino�s apartment��

�Just stop already� I know
where this is going�and you�ve already caused enough damage so keep out of
their business for once and��

�But hold on, Sasuke� Sakura answered
the door, and was surprised to see Chouji overdressed just to go to the BBQ
place.� And they got to talking while
Ino was finishing getting ready.� So
Sakura went into Ino�s bedroom and told her about the misunderstanding.� So Ino changed so Chouji wouldn�t feel
embarrassed.� He even got her
chocolates.� And only ate the coconuts
out of it.� Which is sort of romantic.�

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.� �I�m going to regret asking, since I�m
regretting this entire conversation, but why would Chouji eating the coconut
chocolates out of the box he bought Ino be romantic?�

�Ino�s allergic to coconuts.�

Sasuke could feel his left
eyebrow twitch.�� He grit his
teeth.� �Then why didn�t he get her a
box without coconut chocolates in it?��

�Oh, well, it was the box on
sale.� After all, I told Chouji he
should save his money for the BBQ.� Ino
might want extra meat or something.�

�Get out, Naruto.� Get out right now.�

�But Sasuke, you haven�t heard
the worst part.�

Sasuke rested his forehead on
his hand.� �I find that incredibly hard
to believe.�

�Ino told Sakura before she
left that now that she knows how Chouji feels about her she has no choice but
to let him down gently after dinner.�
Don�t you see what this means?� At
least before Chouji could dream that maybe one day Ino would go for him� but
once she dumps him he won�t even have that.�
And it�s all my eyebrows� fault.�

�You�re being too hard on
yourself,� Sasuke remarked giving Naruto a pointed look.� �It�s got nothing to do with your
eyebrows.� I assure you.�� Naruto made a face.� �I told you to stay out of it.��

�But what about Chouji�I have
to do something before Ino drops him and��

�I think you�ve done more than
enough.� Leave it alone.�

�But don�t you feel bad for
what�s about to happen to him?� He�s a
really sweet guy, Sasuke.�

�He�s just learning a lesson he
should have learned a long time ago.��

�What, that nice guys finish
last?�

�That anyone who takes your advice
when it comes to their love life deserves what they get.� Now stay out of it.� And make up my bed already.�

�Oi, Sasuke!� I can�t not do something�I have to go
find them� Sakura said they�ve been out almost an hour� they must be done with
dinner by now� I�m gonna have to find them and stop Ino from letting Chouji
down before��

�No!�

�But, Sasuke!�

�I said no.� You�ve done more than enough screwing around
for one evening.�

�How can you talk about sex at
a time like this, Sasuke?� And besides,
a blowjob isn�t sex.�

Sasuke pressed his face into
the palms of his hand.� �I want you to
leave, Naruto.� Leave.� Right now.�
As it is this is five minutes of my life I�ll never get back.�

�So you agree I should go find
them then.� I will.�

�I said to stay out of��

�I have to do something.�

�What the hell can you possibly
do?�

�When Ino is about to let
Chouji down I�ll throw a kunai at her.�
Chouji can push her out of the way, saving her life and she�ll be so
smitten with him for being a hero that she�ll��

�This isn�t Icha Icha, you
idiot.� Real people operate in a little
thing called reality.� Not Fairytale
Land where magic ponies fly around and Ino falls madly in love with Chouji
because you throw a ninja weapon at her.�
Leave it alone.� Stay out of
it.� You asked for my advice and I�m
telling you.� Stay.� Out.�
Of.� It.��

�Chouji�s my friend.� I know he�d do the same thing for me.�

�Same thing?� As in throw a sharp pointy object at me?�

�Help.� I�m going.�

�Naruto!�� Naruto opened the bedroom window.� �What the� Naruto� get back here!�� Gah!�
That fucking idiot�I�m going to kill him for this�.if Naruto�s antics
didn�t reflect on me I wouldn�t care�but I�ll be damned if someone tries
holding me responsible for his idiotic behavior.�

Sasuke slipped on an old pair of
sandals and dashed out the window after the blond.� Naruto was headed towards the BBQ place, no doubt.� Sasuke chased after him, jumping on
rooftops.� �Bad enough you�re personally
responsible for interfering in Chouji�s crush�now you�re going to attempt to
kill Sakura�s roommate� have you lost what�s left of your mind!�

�This will work, believe me��

�I don�t!� I�ve seen you aim!�

�Shut up, Sasuke!�� Naruto made a sharp right.� �There they are� they�re almost back at
Ino�s apartment building��

�Fine�now let�s�� Sasuke stopped abruptly.� �Why are they holding hands?�

�I don�t know� �� Naruto stopped beside him.� �Do you hold hands with someone you�re about
to drop?��

�I don�t read Icha Icha� you
tell me.��

�I wonder what she�s thinking�if
she�s leading him on I really will kill Ino for�UMMPH��

Sasuke tackled Naruto and dragged
him into a nearby tree.� �Be quiet
before they hear you, Naruto.�

�Er�so�� Chouji was shifting from foot to foot.� And Ino was� she was smiling?� What the hell� what happened to her letting
Chouji down gently� what was she� �Did you have a�good time tonight?�

Ino�s smile broadened.� �That was one of the most interesting first
dates I�ve ever been on.� Most of the
time I spend all day getting ready� and still don�t think I look good enough.� Then I go to some stuffy restaurant because
they guy�s trying to impress me.� And I
don�t eat much because it�s expensive and I don�t want him to think I�m that
sort of girl.� Plus, I always worry that
he�ll think I�m a pig�especially with my name being Ino�like Sakura used to say
all the time�well, you know.� Then we
have nothing to talk about.� I�m bored
out of my mind and the entire evening is a disaster.� But I didn�t feel any of that self-consciousness around you,
Chouji.�

�You didn�t?�

She shook her head.� �No�not a bit.� It was� it was really refreshing actually.� You�re such a down to Earth sort of
guy.� You couldn�t care less I wanted
extra meat.� And I guess in some strange
way it was nice you took the liberty of eating some of the chocolates out of
the box so I won�t eat all of them the first chance I get.�

�Oh�well, I took out the coconut
ones.�� Ino smiled.� �I remembered that time you had coconut and
puffed up like a pucker fish.�� Her smile
faded.� �Er�I probably shouldn�t have
said that.�� She shook her head.� �You�re still pretty�even when you look like
a pucker fish though.� Really.� Wait�that�er�I mean��

Naruto shook his head.� �Even I�m smoother than that.�� Sasuke nodded in agreement.�

�It�s alright, I
understand.�� She smiled again.� �You know when you bumble a bit you�re�well
you�re sort of cute like that.�

�Yeah?�� She nodded.� �Oh�I guess
that�s good then.� Right?� Maybe?��
She laughed.�

�I was so intent on finding a
reason to tell you we should just be friends tonight� but�I can�t really think
of a reason anymore.� You�re�you�re
really a special kind of guy, Chouji.�

�I am?�� She smiled brighter.� �I
didn�t know that.�

�The old me probably wouldn�t
have looked at you twice.� I�m just glad
I�m more mature than that now.� Why
don�t we go to the Fire Festival this weekend?�
Just the two of us.� I know
you�re probably going to go with Kiba and Naruto, but maybe we could go
together Saturday?� If you�re free.�

�Like another date?�

�You can win me one of those
little stuffed animals at one of the game stands.�

�Yeah, okay.�� Chouji grinned.� Then he frowned.� �Should
I be walking you upstairs or something�I don�t exactly know what to do��

�No, it�s fine.� Anyway, why don�t you call me Friday, so we
can finalize everything.� Okay?��

�Yeah�okay.��

�Good.�� She gave his hand a squeeze.�
�Good night, Chouji.�� She leaned
in and gave him a chaste kiss to the lips.�
�Thanks.� I really enjoyed
tonight.��

�Yeah� me too�� She grinned before she slipped into the
apartment.

�WAY TO GO, CHOUJI!��

�Huh?�� Chouji pulled a kunai out of his leg holster in record time and
threw it towards where Naruto and Sasuke were perched in the tree.� Sasuke easily sidestepped it.� The blond idiot fell out of the tree and
onto the ground with a big thud.�
�Naruto?� What in the world are
you doing here?��

Naruto jumped back up to his
feet, hand rubbing the back of his neck.�
�Well you see�um�I was just�well Sakura-chan called and�er�about your
date with Ino� uh��

Sasuke jumped down beside Naruto
and covered his mouth with his hand.�
Naruto squirmed.� �Sasuke, you�re
here too?� Chouji asked, incredulously.��

�We went for a walk and saw you
guys and didn�t want to interrupt.��
Naruto broke free.

�Yeah.� What Sasuke said.�� Chouji
looked skeptical.� �But since your first
date went so successfully we should probably get down to planning your
second.� Now I�m thinking you
should�� Sasuke covered Naruto�s mouth
again.�

�We�ll be going now,� the Uchiha
survivor stated.� Then he wrapped his arms
around Naruto tightly and did the transport jutsu.��

Naruto broke free when they were
safely back in their apartment.� �Shesh,
Sasuke, I was just trying to give Chouji some pointers.� A second date can be just as important as
the first one.� If not more so.� The last thing he wants to do is blow it.�

�Naruto, haven�t you learned
anything?�� Sasuke sat on Naruto�s bed
and took off his shoes.� �I told you to
stay out of it.� Now leave it alone
before you mess it up for them.�� Sasuke
shook his head.� �Nothing like a blond
idiot to ruin the mood.�

�Ino�s not an idiot, Sasuke��

�SHUT UP!�

�Still,� Naruto thought absently,
sliding off his sandals.� �Who would
have ever thought Ino would have gone for Chouji.��

�You.��

�Huh?�� Naruto lifted an eyebrow.

�You thought Ino would go
for Chouji.� That�s why you got in the
middle of it in the first place.� Even
Chouji had his doubts; that�s why he didn�t do anything all this time.� But you always believe that things will some
how work out just because you will them to.�
You�re naively optimistic, always have been.� But because of that you take risks no one else would ever take.��

Naruto looked at Sasuke for a
moment.� �You�you mean that,
Sasuke?��

�Most people give up on having a
happy ending, Naruto.� But you never
will.�� Sasuke shrugged it off.� �Of course that�s probably just a testament
to your sheer stupidity.��

�Shut up, Sasuke.�� But Naruto was grinning just the same.

�Now that that drama is over,
make up my bed.�

�Well, I think we should leave
making up your bed for later, Sasuke.��
Naruto tossed off his t-shirt.�
�After all, I think after we�re finished screwing we�re just going to
have to wash the sheets all over again.�

�Oh?�� Sasuke met his eyes.� �You
think we�re going to have sex now, is that it?�

�I do.�� Naruto unzipped his pants.�
�Unless I�m just being naively optimistic again.�

Sasuke smirked.� �Who am I to stand in the way of a happy
ending?�� Naruto grinned.� �Get over here.��

Naruto jumped on the bed eagerly.� Within seconds he pressed his lips against
Sasuke for a fierce kiss.� Sasuke was
just shutting his eyes when the blond pulled away.� �I just thought of something, Sasuke.��

�Damn it, now what?��

�What if Chouji can�t win Ino a
stuffed toy at the Fire Festival this weekend� we�re going to have to bribe the
chuunin academy sensei that are running the game stations so we can��

�Naruto, you have a choice.� You can either meddle or we can have
sex.� Take your pick.�

Naruto looked down at the growing
development in Sasuke�s pants.�
�Chouji�ll figure it out.�� Then
the blond dove back in to finish what he had started.�

Endnotes:� So that ladies and gentlemen is how Ino and
Chouji got together� and if you�re wondering what that has to do with Naruto
giving Sasuke a reason to have the procedure or Sasuke making a final decision
you didn�t look underneath the underneath.�
And if you did, well good job.�
Anyway, thanks again for reading� and like I promised in chapter 7 all
questions will be answered.� Kisses and
homemade cake for everyone.� ^^
- 5
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Avenger's Choice

Avenger�s Choice

Two Years and Four Months Ago

Now

Now

Now

A Year and a Half Ago